Picture-holder.



UNITED `STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM E. MGMULLEN, OF BRISTOL, PENNSYLVANIA.

PICTURE-HOLDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 5,.1909. Serial No. 476,256.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM E. MoMuL- LEN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Bristol, Bucks county, State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Picture-IIolders, of

which the following is a specification.

The main object of this invention is to provide an improved holder for displaying one or more photographs, pictures, or inscriptions of any kind, and more particularly to provide a holder' of the class described that may be used upon monuments or in other places which are exposed to the weather and which will protect the contents of the holder from injury.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of a holder constructed in accordance with this invention; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section of the same on line 2 2 of Fig. 1; Fig.` 3 a transverse section of the same; Figs. 4 and 5 are a reduced fraomentary front elevation and a correspondbing top plan view of a detail of the same; Figs. 6 and 7 are a front elevation and a fragmentary vertical section showing a detail of the same in its original form; and Figs. 8 and 9 are a fragmentary front elevation and a fragmentary vertical section of a. modified form of the invention.

Referring to the drawings, one forni of the improved holder comprises a transparent front plate 1 of glass or other suitable material which may be rectangular in front elevation with beveled front edges as shown in Fig. 1, or of round, oval or any other desired shape. This plate is provided upon its back with a rearwardly projecting flange 2 extending along its top edge and with a rearwardly projecting flange 3 extending along each side edge. Each of these flanges has an undercut inner edge and the three flanges form the upper and side walls of a downwardly opening recess in the back of the plate. The back surfaces of these flanges are flush and are adapted to rest against a flat base 4 which may be the flat face of a monument or a flat surface on any other object.

For forming a back for the holder, and for attaching the transparent plate to its base, a plate 6 preferably of aluminum or other non-corrosive metal is used. This attaching back plate 6 is shaped to conform to the dimensions of the recess in the back of Patented Mar. 29, 1910.

the transparent front plate and the side por-n tions of the back plate are bent obliquely inwardly with respect to the front plate 1, to form oblique flanges 6 adapted to engage against the undercut edges of the side flanges of the front plate and the upper ends of these flanges of the back plate are ent away leaving a square recess 8', in each upper corner of the back plate to permit the upper end 9 of the back plate to be forced into engagement with the undercut surface of the transverse flange at the upper end of the transparent front plate.

The back plate (3 is secured to its seat 4 by means of 011e or more expansion bolts, each of which comprises an ex ansible bushing 7 of lead or similar material driven into a hole provided therefor in the base 4, and a tapered screw 8 extending throu h the plate and threaded into the bushing. gEach bushing 7 of the expansion bolts is referably originally in the form of a solic substantially cylindrical plug somewhat longer than the hole into which it is to be fitted and provided with a series of longitudinal ribs 7 substantially V-shaped in cross section, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7, and is driven into the hole and compressed longitudinally and expanded laterally until the outer surface of the bushing is Hush with the surface of the seat. A cylindrical hole is then drilled axially into the bushing and the screw is then threaded into place, further expanding the bushing and holding the screw and bushing rigidly in place. The side flanges G of the attaching plate G and the undercut surface of the side flanges 3 of the transparent plate 1 are preferably made slightly converging upwardly so that as the transparent plate is forced downwardly over the attaching plate, the two plates will be wedged rigidly together.

The card 9 having the photograph, o1cture, or inscription on the face thereo', is inserted into the recess in the back of the transparent plate between the transparent plate and its attaching plate and is held from dropping downwardly through the lower open end of the recess by means of one or more lugs 10 integral with the transparent late and arranged in the recess adjacent the ower edge of the transparent plate, the rear surface of each lug contactingagainst the outer surface of the attaching-plate. The upper surface of each lug is beveled or undercut to press the card toward the transparent plate. The lower edge of the attaching plate (3 terminates preferably slightly above the lower edge of the transparent plate 1, but below the upper edges of the lugs 10.

The face of the card 9 is held away from the adjacent wall of the transparent plate 1 by means of four pads 11 of felt or other similar material, one pad being attached to the face of the card adjacent each corner thereof. This arrangement of the card permits a free circulation of air through the open lower end of the transparent plate and over the front of the card and prevents the card from becoming mildewed or otherwise injured by dampness.

In mounting the card 9 in the holder and upon the base 4, the attaching plate 6 is first secured to the baseby means of the eXpansion bolts 8 and the card is then inserted face outwardly into the recess in the back of the transparent plate and the transparent plate with the card therein is then forced downwardly over the attaching plate G, bringing the upper edge of the attaching plate into contact with the undercut lower surface of the transverse flange at the top of the transparent plate springing the same inwardly into close engagement therewith, and the transparent plate will be wedged tightly over the attaching plate, owing to the tapering form of the side flanges of the transparent plate and the side flanges of the attaching plate heretofore described. After the transparent plate is thus brought to a fixed position, the surface of the base 4t just above and adjacent the upper edge of the transparent plate is roughened and cement 12 is applied in the angle between the transparent plate and its base to make a weather-tight joint. With this construction in mind, it is evident that the holder protects the picture contained therein from rain or snow or moisture.

Instead of using the back plate 6 and eX- pansion bolts described, for securing the transparent plate 1 to itsbase 4, the transparent plate may be provided upon its back surface with one or more rearwardly extending pins 15 which may be driven in the suitable bushings 16 in the base l as shown in Figs. 8 and 9. In this modification of the device, the transparent plate 1 would be of the same construction as heretofore described.

When it is desired to display several photographs or pictures, the holder is constructed of suitable dimensions to. receive the pictures in any arrangement desired.

It is obvious that many changes might be made in the construction set forth herein without departing from the spirit of this invention or the scope of the appendedclaims.

Having thus fully described my inve/n-l tion, I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United `States:

1. A picture holder comprising a transparent plate having flanges upon the back thereof extending along one end and opposite sides thereof, said flanges having undercut inner edges and a plate forming a back for said transparent plate, said back plate having an oblique flange upon each side edge thereof and having the ends of each of said oblique anges at one end of said back plate cut away to forma square recess in said plate and said end being bent to form an obliqueiiange and inserted in said end flange of said transparent pla-te.

2. A picture holder comprising a transparent vertical plate having a rectangular recess in the back thereof, one end wall and the side walls of said recess being undercut and said recess opening at the lower end of said plate, a lug having an undercut upper surface for holding a card in said recess, and a vertical attaching plate for securing said transparent plate to a support having its side edges flanged inwardly with respect to said transparent plate and having its upper corners cut away.

8. A picture holder comprising a transparent plate having a recess in the back thereof tapering in width and a tapered plate sidably engaged in said recess to form the back of said holder.

t. In a picture holder, the combination with a transparent front plate provided with internally undercut flanges extending local to the sides and end thereof, of a picture card mounted in the recess formed by said flanges; and a backing plate having oblique lateral flanges slidably engaged with said undercut side flanges, and an end flange extending in a plane with said plate and arranged to be obliquely distorted by engagement with the undercut end flange on said front plate, when said plates are assembled, to preventy subsequent relative movement of said plates.

5. A picture holder comprising a transparent front plate provided with flanges, internally undercutto form a recess arranged to receive a picture card and undercut lugs arranged to` support said card; and a supporting back plate having lateral oblique flanges arranged to slidably engage oppositely disposed undercut flanges, and having an end flange primarily in a plane with said plate, arranged to be distorted by one of the undercut flanges on said front plate, by the slidable engagement of said front and back plates and arranged to prevent relative displacement of said plates when assembled..

6. In a picture holder, the combination with a transparent front plate having a recess formed by an internally undercut flange, and arranged to receive a picture card inserted from the back; of a supporting back plate having oblique lateral flanges, and an end flange primarily extending in a plane with said plate, and arranged to be .slidably engaged with said front plate and retained with respect thereto by said lateral oblique fianges engaging the undercut flanges on said front plate, and prevented from displacement with respect to said front plate by the end flange on said back plate, which is distorted obliquely over the top edge of said card by engagement with the undercut flange on said front plate, when said plates are assembled.

7 The combination with a picture holder having a transparent front plate provided with undercut flanges, forming a recess in the back of said plate to receive a picture card inserted from the back, and having its edges coincident with the edges of said undercut flanges, of a back plate provided with flanges extending obliquely with respect to said plate, slidably engaged with the undercut flanges of said front plate and retained therewith; and means intermediate of the edges of said picture card arranged to hold said card in contact with the back plate, and out of contact with the surface of said front plate, whereby any expansion of said card tends to throw the margin of the card outwardly by engagement with the oblique walls of said flanges, toward said front plate, and its central portion against the back plate.

8. A picture holder arranged to be attached to a flat surface, comprising a transparent front plate having under-cut flanges,

and a picture card mounted between said flanges, a backing plate having flanges arranged to embrace said picture, and supporting said front plate, and an abutment secured to said flat surface arranged to prevent the removal of said front plate from said backing plate, and to exclude moisture from said picture.

9. A picture holder arranged to be attached to a plane surface, comprising a transparent front late having under-cut flanges, a picture cart mounted between said flanges, a backing plate having flanges arranged to embrace said picture, and engage the flanges of said front plate, and an abutment secured to said plane surface and arranged to` prevent removal of said front plate from said back plate, and to exclude moisture from said picture.

10. A picture holder arranged to be attached to a plane surface, and comprising a front plate having under-cut flanges, a picture card mounted between said flanges, a backing plate having flanges arranged to embrace said picture, and engaging the flanges on said front plate, and a cement abutment disposed in the angle formed by said plane surface and the top of said front plate to prevent removal of said front plate from said back plate, and to exclude moisture from said picture.

l1. The combination with a picture holder having a transparent front plate, of a back plate having flanges intel-engaged tl1erewith and arranged to support said front plate and prevent its lateral and downward displacement, a support for said holder providing a flat surface having a recess, and a cement abutment projecting from said recess and Vpreventing the relative displacement of said plates, and excluding moisture from between said plates.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this eighteenth day of January, A. D. 1909.

' WILLIAM E. MCMULLEN. lVtnesses:

PHILIP J. BLAeKwooD, OWEN F. EVANS. 

